Anthony Brownell

Having studied speech-language pathology and linguistics at a small university in Missouri, I had always considered teaching ESL abroad after graduation. After careful consideration, I committed to The Language House TEFL course for January 2014, and I am very pleased that I made that choice. Although I had had some teaching experience in America as a reading teacher for children ages 4-17, this TEFL course taught me much more and equipped me to find a job immediately after its completion.

After receiving my TEFL certificate with the Young Learners/Teens extension, I began working for a language school in the center of Prague. Eventually, I picked up more classes with another language school as well as some private students I’ve found on my own. This has given me a wide range of student ages and ability. For example, I have classes of children learning basic nouns and phrases, adult conversation classes, and one-on-one lessons to prepare for the CAE, a standardized English exam. I love the variety, but it is possible to find work with only one age group/level if that’s what you prefer.

Living in Prague is absolutely incredible. People from all over the world live, work, and visit here, so there are always opportunities to meet interesting people and learn more about other cultures. I love exploring the city in my free time; there are always new parks, cafes, and stunning views to discover. Also, traveling is quite cheap and convenient because Prague is so centrally located in Europe. I’m excited to explore some of the Czech Republic’s countryside this summer and do some more traveling throughout Europe. In the future, I plan to teach in some other countries like South Korea, but I am quite content with Prague at the moment. The TEFL course at The Language House gave me the confidence to pursue life abroad and continue to develop my skills as a teacher.

feels like home. It continues to excite and entertain me daily. There is always something to do or see in Prague. The views never get old. And neither does the trdelnÍk! I never planned to be a teacher, I didn’t major in English, I honestly don’t know where I am headed on this crazy journey. But I am enjoying the ride and am happier than I have been in a long time.

I remember reading blogs or seeing articles on Facebook about people my age that moved abroad and were living what I thought was only a dream. I didn’t understand how they made it possible. Now I know just how easy it is.

“if you don’t like how things are, change it! your not a tree.” –Jim Rohn